Microwave-induced Plasma and its Microwave Rectification Effect

A 2450-MHz microwave-induced lamp based on an open-ended dielectric waveguide which directly transfer high-frequency power to the neon plasma without the needs of electrodes and wires is proposed. This device is a simple structure with low-power requirement and high controllability. It can excite a neon bulb at room temperature with 3 Watts microwave power. The minimum sustaining power for plasma is as low as 0.3 Watts. Two Dumet wires are inserted into the plasma and are connected to a resistor. It demonstrates that the microwave induced plasma can rectify microwaves into dc. The rectification efficiency reaches a maximum of 0.05% with the 1000 Ohm resistor and 1.88 W input power. Although the rectification efficiency is relatively low. However, it is a novel method for microwave rectification and possess a great potential in microwave power transfer applications.